Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Statement by the Leader and Chief Executive of Gwynedd Council (22 May 2020)

The Council is currently concentrating its efforts to maintain the activities that:

Provide childcare for key workers;

Support children and vulnerable adults;

Collect refuse from homes;

Play our part in supporting businesses;

Any other activities that saves lives.

In addition, in accordance with the latest announcement from the Welsh Government, there are arrangements to re-open some of the Council’s recycling centres from 26 May onwards. Under the new arrangements, anyone who wishes to use the recycling centres will need to register in advance to book a time-slot to attend.The full details about the new arrangements are available here.

In accordance with the request made by the Welsh Government, we are currently considering whether there are safe ways for re-opening our libraries. We envisage that this will be a very gradual process and that it will not be possible to provide a full libraries service for some time. More information about the next steps will be shared in the near future.

Throughout all this, it is vitally important that each and every one of use follows the latest Welsh Government advice to help ease the effect of the virus on our NHS and Care Services.

Following the Welsh First Minister’s announcement on 8 May, you should only leave your home for very specific reasons, which include:

to obtain supplies and services for you or your household, for example food, medicine, and essential household maintenance. The Government encourages everyone to make this as infrequently as possible;

exercise, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household (or a carer). This must be done locally;

to visit your GP or local health services, including the dentist;

to deposit and withdraw money from a bank or similar establishment;

to provide care for or to help a vulnerable person, this includes getting food or medicines for them;

help the NHS by donating blood;

to avoid injury or illness;

travelling to and from work, but only where it is not reasonably practicable to work from home;

visit a cemetery, burial ground or garden of remembrance to pay your respects;

to attend a funeral if you are invited by the person organising the funeral, or are the carer of a person attending the funeral, although this is subject to limits on numbers who can attend, in order to ensure that 2-metre distancing can be kept;

making use of a recycling or waste disposal facility, or garden centre or plant nurseries.

It is clear from what we see around us that most of the people of Gwynedd are keeping to these guidelines, and this is very positive to see. Even though this is very difficult, we urge you to carry on doing so.

While the Council is working in this way, if you have an urgent matter that you really need to discuss with the Council, you should do so online if possible, or otherwise over the phone.

If it is not an urgent matter, we suggest you wait until the crisis has eased to avoid distracting our staff from doing what is really needed (the 5 priorities above).

We understand that this difficult period creates real anxiety for people, but we are confident that Gwynedd's people, businesses and organisations will adhere to the national expectations, and contribute fully to the community effort needed to protect the most vulnerable.